Electrical Business

Features Energy & Power Renewables

B.C.’s SunMine sparks solar talk

September 2, 2015 | By Renée Francoeur


Photo courtesy SkyFire Energy

September 2, 2015 – Solar power production in British Columbia is growing, says SkyFire Energy, a solar contractor. And now, B.C. is home to SunMine, the largest solar PV system in Western Canada with solar trackers, according to SkyFire Energy, the construction manager and installer of SunMine.

SunMine is a community-owned 1.05 MW solar farm that consists of 4032 solar modules mounted on 96 trackers, which follow the sun’s movement and provide as much as 38% more energy than a fixed system, SkyFire Energy claims. The farm is located on Teck’s former Sullivan Mine site, which has been fully reclaimed, near Kimberley, B.C.

“The construction of SunMine took place on one of the most challenging sites for a large scale solar installation in Western Canada”, says David Kelly, CEO of SkyFire Energy. “SkyFire staff worked with experienced local contractors, locally hired employees as well as our partner, Conergy, to complete the project. We’re proud to say that project performance has been exceeding estimated output since connecting to the grid in June.”

SkyFire Energy says it has installed 50% of all grid-tied solar in B.C. and more than 33% of all grid-tied solar in Western Canada.

Advertisement

“SunMine is a symbol of Kimberley’s commitment to renewable energy”, adds Scott Sommerville, CAO for the City of Kimberley. “When its mineral resources were depleted, Kimberley took advantage of its solar potential and developed a renewable resource.”

Kimberley receives the most sunshine in B.C. (over 300 days per year), SkyFire Energy notes.


Print this page

Advertisement

Stories continue below